There’s a very good reason for that. Per a source close to Vick, the Jets told Vick in clear and unambiguous terms when Vick signed with the team that Geno Smith would remain the starter.

“Disappointment in what?” the source said. “That he didn’t play along with the charade?”

That’s a reference to Vick’s decision to insist publicly that the supposed “open competition” was rigged for Smith. Apparently, the Jets wanted to falsely boost Smith’s confidence by creating the impression that he beat Vick out in a fair-and-square competition. Vick opted not to go along with that.

The source adds that Vick “worked his ass off” from Day One, and that he has done exactly what the team wanted from the standpoint of mentoring and helping Smith.

Really, what else should Vick have done? Should he have publicly claimed that he’s the better player? That the team should rethink its plan to hand the starting job to Smith?

More recently, Vick has said that the Jets won’t have much patience with Smith. Maybe Vick should be even louder and more candid with that thought, if for no reason other than to create the impression that he’s “hell-bent” on sending Smith to the bench.

Maybe the quotes from unnamed Jets coaches flow from the frustration that Vick didn’t go along with the ruse. Regardless, Vick should interpret the comments as an open invitation to quit helping Smith keep the job and to start affirmatively wresting it from him.

Hahaha! Joke! Dude, Vick isn’t a Quarterback who wants to hone his craft. He only wants to stay in the League as long as he can so he can boost his pension. The dude has jacked and gamed every organization he has played for/with. He is a big disappointment. Matt Schaub said it best. Mike was not a student of the game in Atlanta. The guy can’t read defenses can’t check off and if his laser primary receiver is covered and the RB isn’t open for a swing pass he runs. When the guys legs are gone so is he. He’s gonna laugh to the bank every month his pension check comes in the mail

He should start, because that other 1st string QB is a bust….you know, the one that cried and carried on last year when he wasn’t taken in the 1st round. Manuel will even turn out better than Geno Bust Smith.

schmitty2 says:Aug 22, 2014 5:13 PM

Tebow, Buttfumbler, qb controversy with a convicted felon. Someone in Hollywood needs to step up and make a movie about this.

The fact that they had to create the illusion of a QB completion to motivate their starter should say it all about Geno. An NFL player shouldn’t need the threat of losing his job to play as hard as he can, and they tried the same thing with Sanchez. At some point you have to point the finger at the organization

what, is Pettine back in the locker room? “Unnamed sources” in “private disclosures” equals desperate beat writers trying to drum up a non-story in a big market. Nothing to see here folks, move along. This whole fiasco could be better described not as a circus but as an employee being hired to do a job and being good at it. SMH….

mikebrownistheworstownerinprosports says:Aug 22, 2014 5:25 PM

The Jets pulled the same shenanigans with Tebow. Brought him in and kept him on the bench just to boost Sanchez’ confidence.

When you pray at night, thank the Steelers for creating the game of football, and pray that they can save it. Amen.

FinFan68 says:Aug 22, 2014 5:41 PM

If the basis of this drama is true, it’s clear that the coaching staff and Vick just don’t get it. The coaches should never have told him that he would not be the starter and Vick should not have simply gone through the motions. The goal is to win and in order to do that you must put the best players (with the best chemistry) on the field. The coaches wanted to play politics so feelings wouldn’t get hurt and Vick likely half-assed it because he was only going to be the back up. Neither scenario puts the best team on the field.

How do you spell locker room cancer. V-I-C-K. Guy is only out to submarine Geno and get a chance to showcase what is left of his rapidly declining skills for his next team. He will be playing the press all season until he becomes the starter. Jets FO blew it BIG TIME signing him. Should have made a play for a Josh McCown or somebody who knows that they are a #2 and is out to actually help the team.

jhorton83 says:Aug 22, 2014 5:48 PM

So let me get this straight. The coaching staff is upset that Vick didn’t pretend to compete for a job that they had already told him he had no chance of winning. Yep, sounds like typical Jets dysfunction.

weepingjebus says:Aug 22, 2014 5:50 PM

The Jets trying to play mindgames with someone is like an ant trying to scale a skyscraper.

The Steelers are Marching and the world cowers. The three rivers were made from your tears, and we build boats. We build lots of boats. We walk beside pristine trophy cases and engraved gold. They say it’s lonely at the top, but we sure like the view

You’re the poor mans Logicalvoice. You should switch games because your not even in his league.

touchdownroddywhite says:Aug 22, 2014 6:08 PM

If Vick ever wants to start for another team, there’s no way in hell he could allow them to create the impression he lost a competition to Geno Smith.

Not a big jets fan but let’s be honest, the jets have proven over the last 10 years that as an organization, they don’t have a good decision-making aptitude related to QB’s. Including not letting tebow play while sanchez stunk up the place. Now Vick is the better player while geno smith is stinking up the place

They tried to create a competition for a position because it always makes people at that position better.

Which is smart. They just got in a pickle because it’s also unfair to tell Vick he has a chance if he doesn’t… that could easily become destructive emotionally if he actually had played better.

Coaches did the right thing. I’m a Patriots fan through and through, but I’ll be honest if Belichick ever left I’d love to have Rex Ryan. I played football in high school and college and he’s the kind of guy you want to play for. His loyalty never seems to get reported, but if you’re looking for it – it’s there on an extremely honorable level. And the guy is a great coach not realizing his potential because he’s got a terrible owner.

The JETS are truly a MESS Now there is this breaking story you can read on NFL .com that says poor Vick was now LIED to AFTER he sign his contract . Which says the so call QB competition was ALREADY RIGGED in Geno smith favor .

Vick is better than alot of Qb’s starting in this league . So It made absolutely no sense that he now backup a guy that he is MILES better than,, It seems Vick AGENT is asleep at the wheel . He should be trying to get his client OUT OF THERE( unless the jets brass is even more vindictive to prevent that too) ,,

One thing with Vick it doesn’t matter if its the west coast offense with andy reid or a chip Kelly offense, He is that talented and show he can ADAPT and play in any style you put in front of him,So it doesn’t matter what type of OFFENSE you run.

WE know who the teams are that could use him and should get on the phone,,It doesn’t matter if he give you 9 ..10 GAMES he makes you RELEVANT,,And you never know he did play pretty much a full season for the eagles a few seasons ago.

well if you are any sort of a Jets fan, you should appreciate what he did.how would that make Geno Smith a better QB if the competition he thought was real was really a bad dream…like Jerry Jones becoming the owner of a football team. WHATA SCARY THOUGHT

Say what you want, but having Wrecks create a sham of a “competition” to boost Smith’s confidence makes a whole lot more sense than what they did to boost Sanchez’s confidence (after undermining it by bringing in Tebow)

That approach cost them a $58 million contract extension for Sanchez – which looks downright hilarious today!

richndc says:Aug 23, 2014 10:27 AM

File this in the “ain’t my fault” category with 10 million other things he has been involved in. All you defending him constantly, calling everyone else “haters” “racists” “dog nuts” I just really do wonder if any of you are smart enough to see a pattern with this guy??? Seriously? Oh, I get it. you believe what you believe based on your ‘gut’ or ‘what you know is true’ rather than real evidence or behavior. Just like every bigot ever born. Deal with that kids.